Project Hosts Special Event in Washington, DC on March 25th

Volume IIIIssue 2

On March 25, 2010, the Project held a special event in Washington, DC at Sidley Austin LLP to discuss opportunities for volunteer attorneys to represent prisoners on Death Row without counsel.

Robert B. Dunham, Assistant Federal Defender for the Federal Public Defender for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Capital Habeas Corpus Unit, began the first hour of the program with a training presentation about capital representation. Attendees were given basic information about death penalty jurisprudence, statutes of limitations, the use of experts, ethical issues, investigations, and developing a relationship with a Death Row client.

During the second hour of the program, Project staff and DC attorneys explained why help from the private bar is so urgently needed. The following DC attorneys spoke about their experience as volunteer death penalty lawyers:

David E. Kendall, Partner, and David A. Taylor, Associate, Williams & Connolly LLP: Why I do death penalty work

Special thanks to our hosts Sidley Austin LLP and DC Bar President-Elect Ronald Flagg. This event was co-sponsored by the DC Bar Association Sections of Criminal Justice and Individual Rights, Litigation, and Courts, Lawyers, and the Administration of Justice.

For more information on upcoming programs, please see our website or contact us at deathpenaltyproject@staff.abanet.org.